Johnny Riddle

John Ludy Riddle
(Mutt)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lb.
• School University of Georgia
• High School Riverside Military Academy
• Debut April 17, 1930
• Final Game September 11, 1948
• Born October 3, 1905 in Clinton, SC USA
• Died December 15, 1998 in Indianapolis, IN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Catcher Johnny Riddle had seven seasons in the big leagues, spread out over a long period of time: 1930, 1937-38, 1941, 1944-45, and 1948. His most games (25) and plate appearances (64) were in 1930. His best batting average (.281) was with the 1938 Boston Bees, when he was 32 years old.

Johnny was a teammate of his brother, pitcher Elmer Riddle, with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.

He played 19 seasons in the minors, including 12 with the Indianapolis Indians. At the age of 24 in 1930, he was able to hit .359 for Indianapolis in a partial season, and at the age of 41 in 1947, he hit .338 for Indianapolis in 79 games.

Riddle managed the Birmingham Barons from 1942 to 1944.

After his playing career he was a coach for five major league teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1948 through 1950; the St. Louis Cardinals from 1952 through 1955; the Milwaukee Braves in 1957; the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1958; and, finally, the Philadelphia Phillies in 1959.

Further Reading

• Nancy Snell Griffith: "Johnny Riddle", in Gregory H. Wolf, ed.: Thar's Joy in Braveland: The 1957 Milwaukee Braves, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2014, pp. 231-234. ISBN 978-1933599717

Related Sites

• Johnny Riddle at the SABR Bio Project